Sales picked up late for fireworks

After slow start, fireworks sales ramped up during last week before holiday

Sales picked up late for fireworks

YOUNGSTOWN

Fireworks sales, starting about a week before today’s holiday celebrations, were busy after a lackluster start to the season.

“It was a very slow start to the season,” said Bruce Zoldan, president of Phantom Fireworks. Youngstown-based Phantom Fireworks has more than 1,200 locations throughout the country.

Part of the issue this year is the Fourth of July being late in the week, so people are considering the weekend to be part of the holiday, he said.

Therefore, people delayed their purchases, Zoldan said. Starting June 28, sales for Phantom started to beat the same date of the previous year.

Over the last 20 years, there has been a trend of more people using fireworks. According to Phantom, use of the products have increased by 100 percent since 1994.

The expectation is that by Sunday, sales will be higher than 2012 figures, Zoldan said.

“In 2012 we had a really dry year in a lot of areas in the country, and a lot of places asked people not to set fireworks, which hurt sales,” he said. “We’re very optimistic that we’re looking at a record year.”

The American Pyrotechnics Association also is stating wetter weather throughout the nation should help increase fireworks sales.

“Many Americans had to forgo their fireworks fun last year as much of the country faced burn-ban restrictions, impacting fireworks use due to the severe drought,” according to an APA statement. “But this year, most of the nation is drought-free and consumers are eager to light ’em up and celebrate their patriotism.”